NBA Game Previews

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NBA GAME PREVIEWS FOR TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018

Jazz at Rockets, 8 p.m. ET -- HOUSTON -- According to STATS, " So much of what the Houston Rockets have become under coach Mike D'Antoni focuses on the volume of 3-pointers taken and the influence their perimeter proficiency has offensively. And even with a preponderance of evidence undergirding their dramatic improvement defensively, the Rockets' reputation remains cleaved to 3s and offensive efficiency, so much so that following the defensive clinic they orchestrated in Game 4 on Sunday in Salt Lake City, some Rockets were first greeted with queries on how many 3s they missed in their 100-87 win. While at some point the narrative will change, the Rockets aren't at all misguided. They stand one victory shy of clinching their Western Conference semifinal series with the Utah Jazz, and if they defend in Game 5 on Tuesday night at Toyota Center like they did in Games 3 and 4, the Rockets will likely advance to the Western Conference finals for the second time in four years."

Pelicans at Warriors, 10:30 p.m. ET -- OAKLAND -- According to STATS, "The Golden State Warriors can achieve a piece of history Tuesday when they look to close out the New Orleans Pelicans in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals. The Warriors bounced back from a 119-100 thumping at New Orleans in Game 3 with an equally convincing 118-92 romp in Game 4, taking a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Golden State can advance to its fourth straight Western Conference finals with a Game 5 win at home, where it has won 14 consecutive playoff games, one shy of the NBA record. The Chicago Bulls set the standard of 15 straight home wins from April 1990 to May 1991."



NBA GAME PREVIEWS FOR MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

Celtics at Sixers, 6 p.m. ET -- PHILADELPHIA -- According to STATS, "Heading into Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinals matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers up 3-0, the Boston Celtics aren't about to get caught looking past a team that entered the series winners in 20 of 21 games... It's not as if Boston has dominated the series: the 76ers led by 22 points in a 108-103 loss in Game 2 and led Game 3 by six late in the second quarter. But Ben Simmons needs to re-emerge as the triple-double force he was late in the regular season. After scoring just one point in Game 2, Simmons had 16, with eight rebounds and eight steals, but he also turned the ball over four times and had a plus/minus ratio of negative-11."

Raptors at Cavs, 8:30 p.m. ET -- CLEVELAND -- According to STATS, "The Toronto Raptors have seen this story before. They know it doesn't end well, nor can they be confident in writing a different ending. The Raptors are in a 3-0 hole to the Cleveland Cavaliers in this Eastern Conference semifinal series. They were in the same situation at this time a year ago and the Cavs busted out the brooms. The closet door is wide open again and LeBron James is rummaging around. The Cavs have never lost Game 4 of a series in which they won the first three games."